I finally managed to run into two of my favorite bloggers that I was looking for ALL WEEKEND! I am pretty sure I LOVE them even more now – they are way more awesome in person than on their blogs and we had a blast chatting it up.

My absolute FAVORITE thing on the menu was the Roasted Golden Beet Tart.

The flavor combination was just outstanding with you had a bite with a little creamy “pesto”, golden beet tart, sweet currants & beets, creamy feta and tart arugula. I totally want THE RECIPE! 😀

Can you all believe I’ve never had a scallop before in my life until Saturday night? I dunno, they sorta freak me out being all slimy and ball like and really, like what IS a scallop – you don’t ever see it’s head or fins or eyes 😀

But, I have to admit, I thought these Champagne Beurre Blanc Fennel Braised Scallops were delicious and I ate everything except for the funky fried fennel grass 🙂

THIS is one reason I LOVE eating with other food bloggers ~ you NEVER feel like you are the only one taking pictures of what you eat 😉

There were 3 options for dinner ~ A Lamb options, A Fish Option (Pescatarian) and a Vegan Option. Since I have moral issues with lamb 😀 (I seem so opinionated today, huh?! LOL), I opted for the Vegan dish.

Mushroom deliciousness!

The shiitake mushrooms were garlicky and delicious. The stuffed portabello mushrooms had a leek balsamic filling and pesto on top. The butternut squash puree should’ve been roasted or seasoned, I think….it was sorta bland like baby food.

There were two desserts that were deserved.

Melissa ordered the Vegan Sorbet & Fruit

And I got the Tarta De Almendras with oranges. I LOVED the cake part, but, have to admit that the parmesan cheese crisp on top didn’t really mix with anything else.

The other part I LOVE about bloggers…..we ALWAYS share our food with each other too 😀 (hehehe….XOXO ~ E & H ~ I couldn’t resist 1 pic of you all eating ;))

After dinner we headed out with the group to the Clock Tower Bar before heading back to get some sleep before SUSAN kicked our booties with her Boot Camp Workout in the morning.

I have to admit the fact that she gave us such a great workout made me feel justified in piling on the brunch (you know, since I’ve shown such restraint all weekend and all LOL :D)

I totally LOVED that they served up salads for the people like me who LOVE fitting in at least a 1/2 cup of veggies for breakfast every morning 😀

I actually didn’t eat the French Toast or the grilled cheese muffin gravy thing, but, I did devour everything else you see here 🙂

After breakfast, we chatted it up one last time and snapped our parting shots. I really do LOVE all these girls and I had such a blast meeting everyone this weekend. I think the BEST thing about blogging is that each time you get to meet up with everyone, it’s like catching up with an old friend…..I can’t wait to see everyone again!

Great wrap up! Scallops are a bivalve that come in a shell though there’s a lot of speculation that some are now “made” by cutting circles out of Skate wings. Either way, I stay away. I was pretty proud of myself though for eating the raw salmon appetizer that night. I never eat it raw (though cook it often). Those appetizers were fantastic!

Nice to meet you and read your interesting recap of the event. Everyone has a slightly different perspective and though I thought I was full-throttle seeing/eating everything, I’m amazed at things I missed. P.S. Our table did not get choices but that was o.k. with me. I loved everything prepared for the gala dinner.

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About Danica

Whether she’s enjoying a dish at a local restaurant or whipping up a crowd-pleasing, nutritious meal at home, Danica has a passion for all things food. She believes in and follows the Weight Watchers principle of “all things in moderation” and chronicles her culinary adventures here. Besides sharing her daily eats and tasty, nutritious recipes, Danica connects others seeking a healthier lifestyle on her site and shares her travel adventures with her husband around the world.